Runningshine padded slowly but surely down the steep hill that lead to the moon-tree. A large petrified oak tree that had been standing where the original clans said to have started, it wasn't  a long walk from MarineClan territory, but Runningshine wasn't as young as he used to be, and getting there was harder and harder with each journey. Jewelpaw stayed by his side the entire time, her worrisome pale blue gaze often glanced to him every so often. Runningshine halted at the bottom of the steep hill. 

"Not so young as we used to be, huh Runningshine." Came a raspy voice. Runningshine turned to his left in time to see a dark tabby pad out of the darkness.

"Shadewinter, I-" He stopped and looked down. "I suppose you are correct, but I will never stop coming at the half-moon, it is my duty." He mewed strongly.

"Oh yes, I agree with you on that you old badger, but I think Jewelpaw can handle these journeys to the moon-tree by herself. Don't you think? I know that Nightpaw is more than ready." Mewed the wise old she-cat.

Runningshine scoffed at Shadewinter's words. "I'm the old badger?! You are moons older than I am!" He mewed with false offense. "Yes, Jewelpaw is more than ready, I'm just not ready to stay in camp." He retorted with false anger.

"Quit bickering like starlings and let's get a move on!" Hissed a familiar voice. Runningshine turned around to see Russetsky and Wildpond. Wildpond's eyes were downcast and his breaths were shallow. Runningshine looked around for Perchpaw, Wildpond's apprentice. 

"Where's Perchpaw?" Asked Jewelpaw.

Wildpond's eyes clouded over and his head hung lower. "I-" He started. "I, I couldn't save him." He mewed. 

The medicine cats gasped in shock. "Whatever do you mean?" Cried a voice from above. All the cats looked up to see Duskblaze of BrambleClan, his apprentice Hollypaw right behind him. Runningshone snorted in disdain, of course Brambleclan had to go sticking their long noses into everything, poor Hollypaw was going end up no better than Duskblaze.

Russetsky was the one to speak up. "As you know, my clan and Wildpond's clan have been at war for some time." He paused. "Well, there was a major battle, our warriors went straight for ThicketClan's camp. I told them it was a stupid idea, and that our fight was with Berrystar, not the queens, kits, elders and medicine cats. But Clawstar didn't listen, he attacked. I had to come along and watch the carnage." He broke off, Wildpond seemed to have regained his confidence, and he took over.

"They streamed in non-stop. It was just cat after cat after cat. They came in and destroyed everything. They came in the nursery, the apprentice's den, the elder's den. Perchpaw was taken first, he was ended swiftly. I could do nothing but watch. After the battle, we had lost four other cats. Appleflower, Daytruth, Brackenowl and Springmeadow. That left Whisperpaw without a mother, Ripplescar lost his mate, Appleflower, and she was so close to having her kits. Eaglekit lost Springmeadow, her favorite elder. Poor Brookkit lost the cat she looked up to the most, Brackenowl." He stopped talking.

Runningshine was too appalled to speak. But luckily, Shadewinter said what needed to be said. "That sucks Wildpond, I'm sorry. But it is time we shared with Starclan or else we will never get back home." She mewed. The other medicine cats nodded and laid down with their noses touching the cold bark of the moon-tree.

Before sleep could overtake the gathered cats, Wildpond stood up and began to speak. "I say these words before Starclan so they know how much Perchpaw meant to my clan. He will be missed more than anything and I am here to give him his medicine cat name. Perchpaw had you been here today, you would have been called Perchcloud you always knew what to say and you picked up on everything quickly. I miss you and I know our clan will mourn you for many moons." After his words, Runningshine thought to have seen the shimmering form of a starry fluffy blue/gray pelt that could only be Perchpaw. The fain glimmer of his light brown eyes shone against the absent undergrowth. By the obvious expressions of his fellow medicine cats, Runningshine knew they had seen him too.

Runningshine felt like he was falling, when he opened his eyes, he was on the ground, the air was thick with smoke and he began to feel dizzy. Shaking his head, Runningshine tried to run from the smoke, but he felt like he was running backwards, something was taking him back to the source. As he neared, he saw a single, bare flame. The closer Runningshine got to the flame, the easier it became to breathe. The flame began to take a shape, the shape resembled a cat. Runningshine moved closer still, but the closer he got to the cat, the vaguer and vaguer the image got. Getting the idea, the tom backed up, but as he backed up, four more solitary flames with silhouettes made themselves visible. 

Runningshine felt a tap on his shoulder, spinning around, the medicine cat found himself face to face with a dark tabby cat with intense dark amber eyes, his frightened expression softened and his face broke into a smile. "Tuliptooth!" He greeted his old mentor. "So great to see you!' He purred.

Tuliptooth purred as well, and her tail curled up happily. "Greetings my friend. But I warn you our time together is quite short, quite short indeed." She mewed. As she spoke, Runningshine glimpsed four of the flames had vanished, leaving the one flame still behind. 

The tom turned to the flame, "What is this about?" He asked.

"Very keen, my apprentice." Tuliptooth rumbled. Runningshine narrowed his eyes at being called an apprentice, but he shoved that thought away and focused entirely on his mentor. 

Tuliptooth looked at the shadowy cat in the flame. "She is one of five from your clan, her light seems to come from her white pelt. Without her leadership, your clan's five are doomed." She mewed. Leaving Runningshine more bewildered than ever. But as he thought about it, two cats came to mind, the tom tried to think about each one in his head, each one gave light in a different way, so choosing was difficult. Looking at the flame, Runningshine began to notice three key features about the outward appearance of the cat, he noticed this particular cat had thick fur, short legs and was just heavy-set by build. Runningshine pictured the cat in his head and again, two of his clanmates came to mind, this time with the clue of a white pelt, he just couldn't put his paw on it. But Tuliptooth had begun speaking once more so he listened. 

As he did, Runningshine noticed the first flame had gone and a second one was in its place. "This second cat is wise, but she is fierce and won't stop at anything, she is like a mighty silver breeze. Without her guidance and experience, the prophesized cats have no chance of surviving the long and arduous journey ahead." At that clue, two more cats came to mind. Runningshine looked at the cat in the flame, he looked at the long tail, the fluffy pelt, and the tiny size. Like the first cat, the name of this cat eluded the medicine cat.

A third flame appeared and Tuliptooth began speaking. "This young cat is as sharp as thorns and darker than a moonless night. She is powerful, but young and reckless. Without her courage and fighting skill, your cats will be unprotected and exposed." Looking at the flame, Runningshine saw the fluffy pelt, the muscular form and the slim tail, he knew who this cat was almost immediately, there was no mistaking her.

The fourth flame came into view and with it came Tuliptooth's hint. "This cat is very young, but by the time the journey begins, she will be able to hold her own. This cat will grow to soar above the highest cloud. Without her ability to see things from another point of view, the clan as a whole will perish." As Runningshine took in the fluffy pelt, slim tail and lithe body structure, several cats came to mind, but only one showed soaring potential to him. 

The fifth and final flame took its place, and Tuliptooth began to speak. "The final cat is quite young and incredibly frosty to the touch, but without her daring nature, no cat will know to take the necessary risks and sacrifices needed to make the prophecy work." The flame showed Runningshine a slim-tailed cat, with a thick pelt paired with a huge body, a cat came to mind, but he pushed it away, there was no way this cat would help anybody, at all.

Runningshine was just plain confused. "Journey? Sacrifices? Other clans?" He asked.

Tuliptooth sighed. "Starclan can't just spell everything out for you, but I made at easy for you as I could. You will figure it out. You almost have. Don't worry, cats that are important to them will pay them a visit and make your job a lot easier. May Starclan light your path, farewell Runningshine." She mewed, then her form began to fade.

Runningshine dipped his head and murmured, "Farewell Tuliptooth, and may Starclan light your path." He mewed. The old Tom knew it was useless to try and call her back, he knew about all this after all
He then closed his eyes and waited to wake up.

When Runningshine woke, he was back in the clearing around the moon-tree. He glanced around at the waking medicine cats, all their eyes reflected the same confusion he felt in his own, and he guessed they had received prophecies as strange as his own. 

Runningshine and Shadewinter shared a knowing look. "We should notify our leaders, then see what they say at the upcoming Gathering." All the cats murmured in agreement and dispersed back to their own clans. Jewelpaw went to his side, her eyes betraying her thoughts, anxiety, fear, confusion and excitement.